Cloning Breakthrough Preserves Champion Bloodline for the Future

Working closely with Barnes & Thornburg attorney Tate Coulter, Trans Ova successfully cloned “Tammy”— the foundation female of Tate’s family-owned operation, TSC Showpigs Tams Can LLC.

The result: eleven healthy cloned piglets, the largest such litter Trans Ova’s team produced that season. Delivered at the company’s Product Multiplier Unit (PMU) in Minnesota, the milestone litter was the product of a successful embryo transfer made possible by a July 2024 cloning and genetic preservation agreement between Coulter and Trans Ova. 

 “This opportunity brought together several parts of my life,” said Tate, an IP associate in our Indianapolis office. “As both a livestock producer and an attorney, working with Trans Ova to preserve a once-in-a-generation sow like Tammy was incredibly meaningful, and it would not have been possible without their world-class team and technology.”

B&T represents Trans Ova Genetics, a leader in advanced reproductive technologies, in IP matters. Through its Trans Ova Genetics Advanced Technologies (TOGAT) division, the company offers genetic preservation and cloning services for elite livestock genetics.

“This project is a powerful example of how innovation in agriculture is increasingly tied to biotechnology and protected by intellectual property law,” said Diane Broek, Trans Ova Advanced Technology Sales and Marketing Manager.

Tammy, the original sow, gained notoriety after winning Grand Overall Gilt at the Delaware County Fair and quickly became the cornerstone of TSC Showpigs breeding program. Her lineage produced multiple industry-leading animals, including:

• Fury, 2021 Tamworth Man of the Year, previously housed at Shaffer’s Goldrush
• Hardwood, 2023 Tamworth Man of the Year, now housed at Shaffer’s Goldrush
• That Much Better, the $19,000 World Record-Setting Tamworth Boar, now housed at Crossroads Genetics
• Lucy, the $10,000 World Record-Setting Tamworth Gilt, housed at River View Farms

We congratulate both Trans Ova Genetics and Tate Coulter on this extraordinary accomplishment and look forward to continuing to support clients at the forefront of agricultural and genetic innovation.